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Learning to play a musical instrument helps young people develop their musical talent as well as enhance their interest in the arts.
The Instrumental Music Training Scheme and the School Instrumental Music Training Scheme, organised by the Music Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, are now recruiting beginners for 2008-09. Young people with no instrumental experience are welcome to apply.
The Instrumental Music Training Scheme, which provides training in more than 20 Western and Chinese musical instruments, including violin, cello, harp, saxophone, French horn, clarinet, erhu, dizi, suona and zhongruan, with supplementary courses in musicianship and theory, is inviting applications from children aged six to 14.
The two-year elementary training courses, which will begin in November, will be conducted at the Music Office¡¦s music centres in Wan Chai, Kwun Tong, Mong Kok, Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan.
The School Instrumental Music Training Scheme, which will also begin in November, is inviting applications from children aged seven to 10 to attend elementary classes in dizi and violin at Tin Shui Wai Xiangang Putonghua Yanxishe Primary School of Science and Creativity.
Classes of both schemes are conducted in Cantonese, with one-hour group lessons on a weekly basis. Annual tuition fees of $1,260 for the first year and $1,540 for the second year are to be paid in instalments. The deadline for applications is August 17.
Applicants for both schemes will be required to attend a Music Aptitude Test. Those who pass the test will be invited to attend an interview.
Pamphlets and application forms of both schemes are now available at all music centres of the Music Office. They can also be downloaded from the website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/musicoffice. Completed applications can be submitted by post or in person. For the Instrumental Music Training Scheme, applications can also be submitted through the on-line application system.
To tie in with the schemes, nine sessions of ¡§Exploring Lesser-known Musical Instruments¡¨ will be held from August 8 to 10 at the Music Office¡¦s five music centres to introduce the lesser-known musical instruments including bassoon, French horn, baritone, viola, double bass, suona, ruan, sanxian and sheng to the public. There will be live demonstrations, guided listening, and question and answer sessions by Music Office instructors and trainees. All sessions will be conducted in Cantonese and admission is free. Tickets are now available at the respective music centre where the event is held. For enquiries, please call 2598 8335, 2582 5264 or 2792 8364.
For enquiries on the Instrumental Music Training Scheme, please call 2582 5345, and for the School Instrumental Music Training Scheme, call 2158 6462.
Ends/Monday, July 28, 2008
Issued at HKT 11:08
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